It literally takes a few minutes to pull your credit report and order your credit score. But surprisingly, some future home buyers never review their scores and credit history before submitting a home loan application, assuming that their scores are high enough to qualify. And many never consider the possibility of identity theft. However, a low credit score and credit fraud can stop a mortgage application dead in its tracks.

Conventional loans require a home buyer to make a 20 percent down payment and many home buyers don’t have enough cash on hand to make that down payment therefore they are required to pay for mortgage insurance as part of their monthly payment. This insurance protects lenders if a borrower should default on the loan. Until late 2014, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac required down payments of at least 10 percent. This requirement pushed many home buyers into Federal Housing Administration loans or FHA loans, which have a 3.5 percent minimum down payment. The problem is that FHA premiums are costlier than private mortgage insurance. But in 2015, qualified buyers will be able to get Fannie and Freddie backed mortgages with down payments as little as 3 percent. These premiums will be dependent on credit scores and the size of the down payment. Private mortgage insurance premiums are generally more affordable than FHA premiums.
Insurance: This will be paid to a homeowner’s insurance company of your choice; this is required when you have a mortgage. Lenders require that your insurance cover the cost of rebuilding the home if it is ruined by fire or other disaster. This “replacement cost” is determined by your insurer, and must be agreed to by your lender. Insurance will typically cost $700 to $1,200 per year for a single family home.
Save the Dream Tour: The NACA also has a venue to facilitate mortgage modifications, and it operates from dozens of major cities. The Save the Dream Tour has tens of thousands of homeowners participating at each event, and thousands of people who attend are able to have their mortgage restructured the same day. Attendees can meet directly with representatives from many banks and lenders. They can have their interest rates lowered to as low as 2%, or their principal reduced, or receive other forms of aid.

Also, JP Morgan Chase has opened dozens of Homeownership Centers across the country to provide face to face contact for troubled borrowers. Anyone can stop by a center in their region for free consultations and information. The face to face contact from a homeownership center will ensure the borrower receives the attention and service they deserve.

A married couple may decide to get a reverse mortgage but leave one spouse off the HECM. If the borrowing spouse dies or moves out permanently, a non-borrowing spouse can continue to live in the home as long as he or she is listed in the HECM documents as such. The surviving spouse must maintain the home and pay taxes and insurance as long as he or she continues to live in the home, and will not receive any of the reverse mortgage proceeds.

It’s equally important to find a lender who has access to — and knowledge in — down payment assistance programs. There are many options available to first-time home buyers and seasoned buyers. Options vary by county and state, but the right lender is going to know exactly what’s available to you. This is a great way to save even more money each month.

The key takeaway: ask specific questions. See how each lender goes about the process of closing a loan and find out what additional fees you will have to pay. Asking questions is also a great way to gain insight into the lender’s level of professionalism and communication skills. Remember, you’ll be sharing a lot of personal information and placing a lot of trust in this person. Do your due diligence and you're certain to find the best mortgage lender.
Note: If you pay half your house payment every two weeks instead of one monthly payment, you’ll end up saving money on your loan. You’ll wind up paying 26 payments per year, one more payment annually than if you just paid monthly. The re-amortized loan will eventually result in more of the payment paid on principal and less on interest. The extra payments go to pay down the principal on the loan.
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Fixed Rate - Fixed rate mortgages have the same "fixed" interest rate for the entire loan. The interest rate never changes. You can get fixed rate mortgages for different lengths of time. The most common lengths are 10 years, 15 years, and 30 years. The shorter the period of time, the faster you pay off the house, but also the higher the monthly payment.
Mortgage principal reductions are becoming more common. The latest data shows that banks and lenders are forgiven, deferring or reducing the principal balance on about 15% of home mortgages, and they are writing off billions of dollars in principal. Studies show that reducing the balance on a mortgage may be the most effective solution to a housing crisis. Locate a list of mortgage loan principal reduction programs from banks.

This is the number of years during which you will be making payments on your mortgage. The most popular mortgage is a 30-year fixed, with 15-year fixed coming next. Common terms for fixed mortgages are 15 and 30 years, but some banks offer mortgages in other five-year increments from 10 to 40 years. Stretching out payments over 30 years or more will mean that your monthly outlay will be lower, but the overall cost of your home will be more because you’ll be paying interest for more years. To make your home cost less, choose a shorter term, such as 15 years.

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Mortgages and home equity loans are two different types of loans you can take out on your home. A first mortgage is the original loan that you take out to purchase your home. You may choose to take out a second mortgage in order to cover a part of buying your home or refinance to cash out some of the equity of your home. It is important to understand the differences between a mortgage and a home equity loan before you decide which loan you should use. In the past both types of loans had the same tax benefit, however the 2018 tax law no longer allows homeowners to deduct interest paid on HELOCs or home equity loans unless the debt is obtained to build or substantially improve the homeowner's dwelling. Interest on up to $100,000 of debt which substantially improves the dwelling is tax deductible. First mortgages and mortgage refinance loans remain tax deductible up to a limit of $750,000.

Start by asking someone you know who has recently gotten a mortgage to see if they would recommend their lender. Ask a financial adviser, business colleague or real estate agent you know to help you write a short list of referrals. An agent should be able to provide you at least two options. Anything less, and you might question whether there’s a financial interest in the relationship between the agent and the mortgage company they suggest. Often national lenders referred by agents end up offering higher interest rates when compared to local mortgage companies.
There are quite a few mortgages out there, and choosing the right one means doing your homework and researching the different options available to you. It’s important that you understand the differences between types of mortgages, so you should also talk with a reputable mortgage professional early on in the process. Here are a few tips to help you do your research:
Example – A $200,000 five-to-one-year adjustable-rate mortgage for 30 years (360 monthly payments) starts with an annual interest rate of 4% for five years, and then the rate is allowed to change by .25% every year. This ARM has an interest cap of 12%. Payment amount for months one through 60 is $955 each. Payment for 61 through 72 is $980. Payment for 73 through 84 is $1,005. (Taxes, insurance and escrow are additional and not included in these figures.) You can calculate your costs online for an ARM.
Less is charged for interest because your balance is lower and lower. But keep in mind that (at least for now) the interest you pay is deductible for tax purposes. That means if you pay $15,000 in interest this year, you will effectively reduce your taxable income by $15,000. If you’re in the 30% tax bracket, that saves you $5,000 in taxes. In short, for many people, having a mortgage is smart financial tax planning.
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This website provides general information about Keep Your Home California, its programs and services, and summarizes major policies and guidelines pertaining to foreclosure prevention assistance. Website content does not always reflect the most recent changes to programs or services nor is it intended to be a comprehensive resource for determining program eligibility. Program descriptions are intended to provide a broad overview of current programs and may not include all of the elements considered in the eligibility process. Keep Your Home California reserves the right to change, delete, supplement or otherwise amend, at any time, the information, requirements, policies, procedures and program descriptions contained on this website.

The possibility of losing your home because you can’t make the mortgage payments can be terrifying. Perhaps you’re having trouble making ends meet because you or a family member lost a job, or you’re having other financial problems. Or maybe you’re one of the many consumers who took out a mortgage that had a fixed rate for the first two or three years and then had an adjustable rate – and you want to know what your payments will be and whether you’ll be able to make them.

There are cases where your mortgage can factor into your other financial plans, making them more or less attainable. For example, Charlie Donaldson, MBA, College Funding Advisor at College Bound Coaching, says, “The amount of your home equity can count against you when attempting to get financial aid to pay for your child’s college education, potentially costing you tens of thousands of dollars each year your child is in college.”
DO THIS: SET UP A QUICK MEETING WITH YOUR LOAN OFFICER TO SEE IF YOU COULD BENEFIT FROM A REFINANCE TO REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS. YOU COULD ALSO REFINANCE TO CONSOLIDATE YOUR CREDIT CARD, LOAN, AND OTHER DEBT TO LOWER YOUR INTEREST RATES; TO FINANCE HOME RENOVATIONS OR EXTENSIONS BY USING THE EQUITY ON YOUR EXISTING HOME; OR TO GET A NEW HOME LOAN WITH BETTER FEATURES, LIKE AN OFFSET ACCOUNT OR REDRAW FACILITY.
Although most of Keep Your Home California’s programs provide assistance in conjunction with a Note and Deed with a five (5) year lien term, some types of Principal Reduction Program assistance require a ten (10) year or a thirty (30) year lien term. Principal Reduction Program assistance that is combined with a ten (10) year or thirty (30) year lien term, offer prorated forgiveness terms that begin on the anniversary of the fifth (5th) year.
If you can afford the higher payments, or are willing to buy a less expensive home, a 15-year mortgage can save you thousands of dollars in interest and can allow you to own your home free and clear in half the time. Fifteen-year interest rates are about one percentage point lower than 30-year rates, and you might be surprised how much the combination of a lower rate and shorter amortization period can save you.
When you're shopping around, don't just check the big national mortgage lenders. Some regional or local banks may offer unique lending programs, especially for first-time homebuyers. For example, the young couple who bought a house from me a few years ago used a 100% financing program from Regions Financial that required no mortgage insurance for first-time buyers with outstanding credit.
National policy favors homebuyers via the tax code (although less than it previously did). For many families the right home purchase is the best way to build an asset for their retirement nest egg. Also, if you can refrain from cash-out refinancing, the home you buy at age 30 with a 30-year fixed rate mortgage will be fully paid off by the time you reach normal retirement age, giving you a low-cost place to live when your earnings taper off.

Perhaps the most intimidating part of buying a home is applying for a mortgage. You may know exactly what “APR,” “points” and “fixed-rate” mean — but if this is your first home, or you just need a refresher, there are a lot of great resources to get you up to speed so you can be a well-prepared mortgage shopper. And because this is such a crucial part of owning a home, we’re going to break it all down.

If you have lost your job, had a reduction in work hours or income, or are unemployed, then you may qualify for assistance. Homeowners can receive mortgage help from the federal government Home Affordable Unemployment Program. This program can reduce someone’s monthly mortgage payments for up to 6 months, which will provide an individual time to find a new job. Read more on the unemployment mortgage program.